Doctor insights on:
Interesting Facts About Pyelonephritis

1

Kidney infection:
Pyelonephritis is infection usually bacterial of the kidney. If not treated thoroughly can permanently scar the kidney. Sometimes multiple foci are in the kidney .Children with vesicoureteral reflux, reflux from bladder to kidney, can have problems with episodes of pyelonephritis.However 50% of pyelonephritis is not associated with reflux. Many untreated episodes of pyelo cause of hypertension.
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2

Cause of pyelo?:
29 F wants to know cause of pyelonephritis. Aka infection of the kidneys causing scaring and kidney failure. Can also be related analgesic abuse if you lived in Australia and took a lot. Some have symptoms of infection others not. Congenital reflux from bladder or kidney stones contribute. At one time thought to be common cause of HTN. Rarely one side which may increase BP. Check UPTODATE for more
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4

Its complicated:
2 factors promote pyelonephritis. 1) bacteria must invade the kidney. 2) a person's immune system must fail to some degree. Bactereia are common in the urinary tract. But if large amounts of harmful bactereia enter the kidney during lower urinary tract infections or during kidney obstruction (ie. Pregnancy, injury, surgery, congenital disease, or poor bladder emptying), pyelonephritis may develop.
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6

A localised area:
A localised area of inflammation of the kidney could be described as focal region pyelonephritis. Upper and lower poles of kidney have greater propensity for intrarenal reflux (to allow bacteria ti attack kidney tuissue) and be focal regions for pyelonephritis. An infected kidney stone could be the center of a focal region of pyelonephritis.
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8

Pyelonephritis:
Other symptoms: high fevers that come and go along with chills / rigor. Pt are usually very very sick and require immediate medical attention as this condition can be life threatening if left untreated. www.peedoc.com @drhtay.
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10

A few days:
Pyelonephritis is a urinary tract infection that has spread to the kidneys. Appropriate antibiotics (outpatient oral or inpatient iv) will usually decrease the symptoms in hours or a couple days. Increased fluid intake will help speed recovery.
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12

Acute pyelonephritis:
Clinically with proper antibiotic therapy weeks. Antibiotic therapy may be seven to fourteen days depending on health of individual and type of bacteria.Pyelonephritis affecting cortex of kidney may take 6 months to entirely heal in children as far as normal anatomy of kidney.
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14

Absolutely:
Pyelonephritis, if not treated properly, can lead to urosepsis (a blood infection with bacteria from the urogenital tract), which can be fatal. In a male, pyelonephritis is rather uncommon. You should double-check your diagnosis and make sure you don't actually have prostatitis, which can also be quite serious.
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15

Depends on situation:
For some, pyelo is a one time infection that responds to treatment and the patient goes on with a regular life. For many, pyelo is one of the complications of other health issues, like spina bifida, renal tract abnormalities, systemic illness, etc. When part of other issues, it can be recurrent and eventually lead to kidney failure. If so, dialysis or transplant may be in the future.
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16

Not usually:
Pyelonephritis is not usually a familial condition and is not contagious. If there is a family history of kidney infections or kidney failure, then some congenital anatomic conditions may predispose to the development of recurrent infections, and these may occur in multiple family members.
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19

Bacteria. :
The most common cause of kidney infections, or pyelonephritis, is bacteria introduced from the lower urinary tract. The most common cause is escherichia coli (75-95%), then proteus, klebsiella, & staphylococcus. "focal" is a descriptive term, likely from radiology, describing the infection as localized to a specific part of the kidney. Regardless of the description, this is a serious infection.
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21

Sometimes:
Reflux is the abnormal passage of urine from the bladder to the kidneys through the ureters, or urinary drainage tubes from the kidneys to the bladder. This usually does not occur. Reflux itself does not lead to kidney infections, however, if the urine is infected, reflux may lead to pyelonephritis. This is most common in young, female children.
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22

See below:
Pyelonephritis is usually a bacterial infection in the kidney
usually bacteria come from the bladder, and there are other causes
the bacteria can spread to the blood stream and causes systemic blood infection.
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23

Still Antibiotics:
Pyelonephritis is still just an infection of the kidney and upper tracts of the urinary system. The cure is still antibiotics. Real pyelonephritis is usually associated with significant pain, fever, and nausea. It is hard to clear quickly but antibiotics is still the gold standard for cure.
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26

Shorter trip for bug:
Many instances of cystitis, especially in women are due to bacteria ascending from the outside through the urethra. Such infections have only a short distance to travel in women. Kidney infections, pyelonephiritis, are often blood borne.
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27

Location, location:
A cystitis is an infection in the bladder area. A pyelonephritisis an infection in the kidneys. Both medical problems will present with burning on urination and bloody urine. However with a pyelonephritis you have more pain in the back area.
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29

Not likely:
The organisms involved in cervicitis are usually different from those causing pyelonephritis. For more inforamtion on cervicits see this site.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cervicitis/ds00518.
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30

Here are some...:
Pyelonephritis denotes inflammatory change from bacterial infection (usually extended from infection in bladder) in renal pelvis, calyces, & papillae extending to renal parenchyma. Clinically, in acute stage, patient is sick with fever & backache; in chronic, may be freeof Sx. But there is distinct difference in the image of kidneys between acute & chronic state. More? Ask doc as space is limited.
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